Henry lyon



No. 622,628. Patented Apr. 4, I899.

H. LYON. RESISTANCE AND CONTACT APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

A (Applicuflon filed July 6, 1898.)

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lNVENTOR H ENRY LYON M H ISATTURNEYS.

THE Norms warms co, PHmo-umo" WAFHINGTO UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

HENRY LYON, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND, ASSIGNOR'OF ONE-HALF TO THE D. STEWART&' COMPANY, LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

RESISTANCE AND CONTACT APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 622,628, dated April 4,1899.

Application filed July 6, 1898. Serial No. 685,280. (No model.)

' tact Apparatus for Electric Currents, (for which I have applied forBritish Patent, No. 28,859, dated December 7, 1897,) of which thefollowing is a specification.

My said invention comprises new and improved arrangements of resistanceand con tact apparatus for electric currents, which arrangements areadvantageously applicable for various purposes-such as, for example, forstarting, stopping, and reversing motors for hoists, winches, cranes,and the like.

My improved arrangements, are shown on' an accompanying sheet ofexplanatorydrawings;

Figure l is a horizontal section, and Figs. 2 and 3 vertical sections asat right angles to each other; ,Fig. 4: is a diagram showing theelectrical connections between the source of supply, my apparatus, and ashunt-wound motor.

As shown in the drawings, there are four jars A B O D, of earthenware orother suitable material, arranged in a box or casingE. Two of these jawsA 0 will generally be, as shown, smaller than the other two B D. In thebottom of each jar there is a conical metal cup F, connected through thebottom with an external metal conductor G, which is connected to aconductor of the main electric supply. In each jar A B O D there is ametal cone A B O D, each suspended by a nonconducting cord H, whichpasses more or less around and is in each case fastened to the groovedrim of an overhead multiple pulley J at such points in the circumferenceof the pulley that each suspended cone can reach the corresponding cup Fwhen the pulley is suitably turned, as hereinafter described. The pulleyJ is on a shaft K, carried by brackets L, extending up from the casingE, and the shaft K has on it a sprocket-wheel M, which may be acted onby a pitch-chain led from any desired point, so as to turn the pulley Jin either direction. The cones A B O D are connected each by a flexiblecoil of wire N, Fig. 2, to three terminals P P P connected to separatemetal conductors. The wires N from the two smaller cones A 0 go to oneterminal P for the shunt-current for a motor, as when reversing themotor the shunt-current does not require to be reversed. The connectionsfrom the other two terminals P P are through two contact-pieces Q Qhinged to a plate Q and projections Q Q on the contact-pieces are actedon by a pin R on one side of the pulley J, so that oneof thecontact-pieces will be lowered into contact and the other raised out ofcontact, accordingly as the pulley J is turned in one direction or theother, as hereinafter described. The plate Q to which the contact-piecesQ Q are jointed, has connected to it a conductor Q connected to thereturn-conductor of the electric supply. Water or other suitablefeebly-conducting liquid, such as a solution of a salt of the same metalas that of which the cups and cones are made, is put in each jar A B OD, so that its upper surface is at a suitable height above the cups F.These may be fitted in connection with each jar glass gage-tubes S toshow the height of the liquid in each jar, and a drain-cock T may alsobe fitted to each jar. When all the cones A 13 O D are entirely abovethe liquid, the circuits are broken. On any cone being lowered, as

hereinafter described, the point first makes contact with the liquidwithout sparking, and the resistance of the liquid gradually diminishesas the cone descends until it makes complete contact with its cup F. Ifany of the cones is stopped short of its cup, the electrio current willexperience resistance corresponding to the depth of liquid still betweenit and its cup.

As shown in the drawings, the parts of my improved apparatus are in theposition assumed when the motor to which it is applied is being startedto run in one direction. The pulley J has been turned in the directionof the arrow in Fig. 2 by the pull of the pitch chain acting on thesprocket-wheel M, so that one, A, of the smaller cones has been low eredthrough the liquid in its jar A down to its cup F, thus completing thecircuit for the shunt-current for exciting the field magnets. At thesame time the pin-R on the side of the pulley J, acting on theprojection Q of the contact-piece Q, has turned that piece down,

so as to make contact with the terminal P, which has fixed to it aconductor 1?", connected to the motor, and which leads the current fromthe motor through the contactpiece Q to the piece Q The continuedmovement of the pulley J in the same direction then lowers one, B, ofthe larger cones, which on touching the liquid in its jar B makescontact, but with some resistance, which is slowly diminished as thecone B approaches its cup F, on reaching which the current passes by aconductor P fixed to the terminal P", to the motor. Thus the starting ofthe motor is effected gradually and with out abruptness and with eithera partial or full load. To reverse the motor, the pulley J is turned inthe direction opposite to that of the arrow in Fig. 2, whereby the conesA and B are raised out of the liquid in their jars A and B, and at thesame time the other two cones C D are lowered through the liquid intheir jars G D exactly in the manner described with reference to thecones A B, the pin R on the side of the pulley .l at the same time alsoraising the contact-piece Q and lowering the other contact-piece Q Whenthe pulley J has been turned so that the pin R is exactly between thevprojections Q Q on the contact-pieces Q Q both these pieces will havebeen raised out of contact, and all the cones A 13 O D are out of theliquid. The circuits will then be broken and the motor stopped.

I claim as my invention- Resistance and contact apparatus for main andshunt electric currents having liquidcontaining jars, a metal cup ineach jar, metal cones in the jars, a pulley to which the cones aresecured, so as to cause certain cones 'to make contact and others tobreak contact upon the operation of the pulley, in combination withhinged contact-pieces and means carried by the pulley for operating thecontact-pieces, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY LYON.

\Vitnesses:

EDMUND HUNT, GEORGE PATTERSON.

